Head Strong Project Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HEAD STRONG PROJECT (HEADSTRONG) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 2012 THAT PROVIDES BARRIER-FREE, STIGMA-FREE PTSD TREATMENT TO VETERANS, TRANSITIONING SERVICE MEMBERS, AND FAMILY MEMBERS CONNECTED TO THEIR CARE.
- Income
- $13.6 million
- Spending
- $14.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 4.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 22
- Highest pay
- $325,024, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $11.9 million spent. THE HEADSTRONG PROJECT IS DELIVERING MEASURABLE, LIFE-CHANGING RESULTS FOR VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN 2025, HEADSTRONG PROVIDED OVER 52,000 INDIVIDUAL THERAPY SESSIONS TO MORE THAN 2,900 UNIQUE CLIENTS 70% OF WHICH WERE DELIVERED VIA TELEHEALTH, ENSURING ACCESSIBILITY FOR CLIENTS IN RURAL, REMOTE, AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ACROSS ALL 50 STATES. HEADSTRONG'S GOAL IS TO HELP OUR CLIENTS "TRIUMPH OVER TRAUMA" BY PROVIDING THEM WITH EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.SEE CONTINUATION ON SCHEDULE O. THE HEADSTRONG PROJECT WAS BORN FROM THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF WAR AND THE URGENT NEED TO HEAL ITS INVISIBLE WOUNDS. U.S. MARINE CAPTAIN ZACH ISCOL RETURNED HOME AFTER SERVING TWO COMBAT TOURS IN IRAQ, INCLUDING LEADING MARINES AND IRAQI SOLDIERS THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST INTENSE FIGHTING OF THE WAR DURING THE SECOND BATTLE OF FALLUJAH. THOUGH HE MADE IT BACK SAFELY, MANY OF HIS FELLOW MARINES DID NOT AND SOME WHO DID RETURN WERE LATER LOST TO THE SILENT TOLL OF UNTREATED TRAUMA. THE EFFECTS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS WERE UNDENIABLE, AND IT BECAME CLEAR TO ZACH THAT THE SYSTEMS MEANT TO SUPPORT VETERANS WERE FALLING SHORT. ZACH SHARED HIS EXPERIENCE WITH AL RABIL, CEO OF KAYNE ANDERSON, AND DAVE PETRUCCO, CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER AT BACKCAST PARTNERS. BOTH WERE DEEPLY MOVED AND MOTIVATED TO ACT. TOGETHER, IN 2012, THEY SET OUT TO BUILD A NEW MODEL OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR THE VETERAN COMMUNITY: ONE THAT WAS TRAUMA-FOCUSED, STIGMA-FREE, AND EASY TO ACCESS. HEADSTRONG IS DRIVEN BY A SINGLE MISSION: TO HELP OUR NATION'S HEROES TRIUMPH OVER TRAUMA. WE PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED CARE FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) AND RELATED MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THROUGH A NETWORK OF OVER 315 LICENSED CLINICIANS ACROSS 20 STATES AND WASHINGTON, D.C., WITH TELEHEALTH ACCESS NATIONWIDE. AT THE CORE OF HEADSTRONG'S PROGRAM IS A NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF INDEPENDENTLY LICENSED, TRAUMA-TRAINED CLINICIANS. EVERY PROVIDER IS VETTED FOR BOTH CLINICAL SKILL AND MILITARY CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND IS TRAINED IN ONE OR MORE OF THE LEADING EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPIES FOR PTSD, INCLUDING COGNITIVE PROCESSING THERAPY (CPT), EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING (EMDR), AND PROLONGED EXPOSURE (PE). MANY ARE ALSO TRAINED IN SUICIDE-SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS. USING A CONCIERGE-STYLE MATCHING PROCESS THAT CONSIDERS EACH CLIENT'S PREFERENCES AND NEEDS, MOST BEGIN TREATMENT WITHIN 12 DAYS FAR FASTER THAN TYPICAL SYSTEMS. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES 30 COST-FREE THERAPY SESSIONS, WITH OPTIONS FOR FAMILY, COUPLES, GROUP THERAPY, AND PSYCHIATRIC SUPPORT AS NEEDED. CONTINUED CARE IS AVAILABLE AT A MODEST, SUBSIDIZED RATE BASED ON CLINICAL NEED. SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2012, WE HAVE DELIVERED OVER 270,000 THERAPY SESSIONS TO MORE THAN 7,000 VETERANS, SERVICE MEMBERS, AND MILITARY FAMILY MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OUR MODEL IS ROOTED IN EVIDENCE-BASED CARE AND BUILT TO FOSTER DEEP ENGAGEMENT, AND THE RESULTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES: - 97% OF CLIENTS RETURN AFTER THEIR FIRST SESSION A STRONG INDICATOR OF TRUST, THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE, AND THE CULTURAL COMPETENCE OF OUR CLINICAL NETWORK. - MORE THAN 60% OF CLIENTS EXPERIENCE CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN PTSD SYMPTOMS, AS MEASURED BY THE PCL-5, A VALIDATED SCREENING TOOL USED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. - OVER 55% SHOW SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS (PHQ-9), WHICH COMMONLY CO-OCCUR WITH TRAUMA AND ARE A MAJOR RISK FACTOR FOR SUICIDE. - 93% OF CLIENTS RECEIVE AT LEAST FOUR SESSIONS WITHIN THEIR FIRST EIGHT WEEKS, UNDERSCORING OUR COMMITMENT TO TIMELY, CONSISTENT, AND EFFECTIVE CARE. CLIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES FURTHER VALIDATE OUR IMPACT. UPON DISCHARGE, 90% OF HEADSTRONG CLIENTS WOULD RECOMMEND THE PROGRAM AND 90% REPORT THAT THEIR TREATMENT WAS EFFECTIVE. THESE FIGURES REFLECT NOT ONLY CLINICAL PROGRESS BUT ALSO THE POWER OF A STIGMA-FREE, VETERAN-CENTERED CARE ENVIRONMENT WHERE HEALING CAN TRULY BEGIN. HEADSTRONG PROVIDES BOTH IN-PERSON AND TELEHEALTH OPTIONS, EFFECTIVELY REACHING MARGINALIZED AND UNDERREPRESENTED SECTORS WITHIN THE SMVF POPULATION. THIS INCLUDES CLIENTS FROM RURAL AREAS, THOSE FACING TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES, FREQUENT MOVES, MOBILITY LIMITATIONS, OR RESTRICTED FLEXIBILITY DUE TO SCHOOL, WORK, AND CHILDCARE DEMANDS. CONFIDENTIAL, STIGMA-FREE CARE: WE UPHOLD THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF CONFIDENTIALITY, ENSURING ALL CLIENT INTERACTIONS AND INFORMATION REMAIN PRIVATE AND SECURE. THROUGHOUT TREATMENT, HEADSTRONG EMPHASIZES MONITORING CLINICAL OUTCOMES TO GUIDE TREATMENT AND ESTABLISH IMPACT. UTILIZING INDUSTRY-STANDARD, PSYCHOMETRICALLY SOUND ASSESSMENT MEASURES, HEADSTRONG TRACKS CLIENT PROGRESS AT BASELINE, BIMONTHLY, AND AT THE END OF TREATMENT. IN ADDITION, ALL CLIENTS RECEIVE CLIENT FEEDBACK SATISFACTION SURVEYS AFTER INTAKE, DURING TREATMENT, AND AFTER DISCHARGE. WITH THESE INDICATORS, HEADSTRONG'S CLINICAL STAFF PROVIDES OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE QUALITY OF CARE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2012.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.